new babies expensive?

[tripods68]

Im probably going to be crucified for this, but I have two young kids and I have yet to understand why babies are so expensive. If your kids are in daycare I understand and would agree that they are expensive. However, I've come across many people whose kids are not in daycare and claim that kids are expensive. Any thoughts?

College education, clothing, family vacation, school trips, summer camp, new clothes, toys, medical expenses, hoard more food. That's a lot to take it without sacrificing retirement savings and/or building some emergency fund. I could go on, but you know what i'm getting at.

Oh by the way, not that I'm complaining by mentioning this. But my 5 year old is now attending private preschool (Catholic school) and my daughter will be going as well this fall. So we're looking to spend as much as $700 a month for the next school year. By the time our daughter start attending kindergarden next year, the cost will have increase to $1K per month combined. But that's a personal choice that we are prepared to make which is tide to our family budget. We don't have any credit cards anymore and will be paying off our Odyssey this summer so we can afford it.

[PrincessPerky]

I think kids are less expensive than many things, but I also can tally up dentist bills, dr bills (just check ups even) and the like and it does add up.

But...not the little things, those are pretty cheap or easy to do without.

Gma just asked me what size I buy for my kids, I honestly couldn't think of anything I have bought them in ages...shoes, I do tend to buy them but all the other essentials are usually hand me downs.

On the other hand I just paid a $300 Dental bill..just regular cleanings and checkups on 3 kids.

Education on the other hand is cheap, we homeschool. cheap homeschool.

[Johansen8]

having a baby can be as expensive as you want it to be.depending were you shop.you don't have to buy a baby everything.buy the basics.and loving your baby is the most inexpensive thing you can give it

[arthurb999]

I have a 16 month old and most of our stuff was gifted so I didn't find him that expensive. Sure diapers, wipes, etc.,... but you got to plan for that.

[Goldy1]

I also think that when they are looking to lay someone off at my dh's last company, they target those ont he family medical plan as it costs them more. (single guy vs person on the family plan)
They just called back a guy who does not take the insurance at all b/c he gets it from his wife so they pay him a pittance like $100 a month to not take company insurance. You have to be prepared in this world to not rely on your employer for medical coverage for short or long term.

[Goldy1]

Oh our friends have 2 teen boys and I was thinking how that is like feeding 2 extra "adult" mouths. actually more than that as they eat a lot!

[wnlbutterfly]

It goes back to the "want" and "need" question again. There are a lot of things new parents WANT for their baby, but they aren't needs. We had 12 yrs between the oldest and the youngest. When we got pg with the youngest (who is now 12), I only had the crib left. But we knew this would be the last and I refused to buy everything brand new again. Consignment shops, yard sales, diapers ON sale...you name it. He was a bargain basement baby. Of course already having had two babies I knew what I really needed. And yes, brand new car seats (btw, our hospital gave us a new car seat).

Anyway, as they get older it can get more expensive, but still a lot of things again are "wants". I would like to save $ so he can go on a school trip to Washington DC. But I know that is a "want". DD is in college and while we are paying the bill (no student loans). I know she could work more hours and pay a little more. While I believe college is a "need", my parents didn't help me through college, so it is a "want" for us to be able to help her out like this.

Does that make sense? No matter what, you can't put a price tag on a child though. They are a blessing.

[asmom]

Kids are expensive. They do not have to be as expensive as some people make it; you don't need brand new and name brand everything but they do have needs and you have to provide for them. Diapers, I don't care if you buy off-brand or Huggies are expensive. So are baby wipes. And formula. And bottles. The crib has to have bed linens. The diaper bag needs to be supplied. My kids broke out in rashes when I used a certain detergent on their clothes and cloth diapers so I had to use a special detergent for them. There were all sorts of little things like that which added up. And yes, you will receive gifts at the shower and such, but you cannot and should not count on that to provide for your child.


And you want to provide for their healthcare, don't you? What about their education? You don't have to go broke having children but let's not be unrealistic about the cost to provide for them either.